God's Middlemen

Description:Two hundred years ago, Shneur Zalman of Liozno published a small volume entitled Sefer shel Benonim (Book of Middlemen or the Spiritual Middle Class), wherein he expounded the doctrines of Habad Hasidism. The work evoked a violent response from the Mitnagdim, or opponents of Hasidism. From hazardous beginnings, Habad has grown into a worldwide movement that blends mysticism and politics. God's Middlemen explores some of the beliefs and doctrines, but above all, the charismatic personalities, that have made Habad such a compelling force on the contemporary religious scene. Introduction by Bezalel Naor is a scholarly survey of the Habad movement.